Paternity testing is used to determine whether two individuals have a parent-child relationship. Today, accurate paternity testing utilizes modern genetic analysis techniques based on DNA. Previously, other types of paternity testing have been performed based on physical characteristics such as eye color and blood type. Even though such testing based on physical characteristics is typically not as accurate as modern genetic testing, such tests may still be used to provide preliminary results before a more accurate genetic test is performed.
For example, conventional testing methods based on eye color may include comparing the eye color of a candidate mother, father, and child to determine whether the eye color of the mother and father could have resulted in the eye color of the child. However, such tests are often inaccurate because eye color often appears much lighter at birth and may not darken to its true color for several years. Furthermore, natural variations in human genes may also influence eye color. Thus, even though an eye color paternity test may offer some clues about paternity, it is not typically consistent enough for definitive paternity test results. Nevertheless, eye color paternity testing may still be useful as a preliminary test to encourage more accurate genetic testing. Furthermore, eye color paternity testing has value as a novelty tool for parents wondering about the paternity of a child.
Some conventional eye color paternity tests can be performed quickly using a programmed electronic computing device. However, conventional devices rely on a user to input the eye color of the mother, father, and child into the device. This often results in inaccurate eye color determinations and subsequently inaccurate paternity results. Conventional devices fail to utilize actual digital images of candidate parents and children to more accurately determine eye color. Furthermore, conventional devices lack the entertainment value of capturing and comparing actual images of the physical characteristics of candidate parents and children. Such devices also lack the ability to provide advertisements and/or information to a user about additional testing and where to obtain additional paternity test products and services.